*Vegan
I was lucky enough to have one of life’s truly great meals at Elote in Sedona, Arizona. I had almost written off Mexican food entirely until I visited the Southwest. With the zeal of a convert, I ate all the Mexican food in Sedona; it was all awesome, but Elote, a chef-y Mexican-inspired joint with a Dorsia-like wait, was the MVP. Their signature dish is a grilled corn salad, heavy with cheese, chili, and mayo, and I could eat a 55-gallon drum of it, but vegans can’t. So I veganized it.
2 tablespoons peanut oil
20 ounces frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed (We’re not doing husks-on over a flame, sorry.)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup Vegenaise (or whatever vegan mayo substitute you like)
¼ cup nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon ground chili pepper
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon Cholula hot sauce
Chopped fresh cilantro
1. Get your frying pan hot over high heat. Add the peanut oil. Add the corn and salt and cook for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.
2. Remove the corn from the heat and allow to cool.
3. When you’re ready to put the salad together (the corn is warm, but not hot), transfer the corn to a medium bowl.
4. Add all the remaining ingredients and stir well to mix.
5. Serve with tortilla chips.